Reply With QuoteGo for it Menno 👍
As per title: 'car'... Someone offered me a fully restored body of a Saab 96. As in: no rot, welded where needed. He wanted to transplant his previous car's parts to this one and did all the welding etc. Then a 'hen's teeth' car came on his path: A Saab 93A and these are very, very rare.
He has a lack of space and wants to sell this body asap. But I needed to take a hurdle. I suggested me buying this 'car' to my wife when we were having dinner last night. Her reaction: 'Sounds fun!"
Let's see if the real life body is as good as the seller tells me. (Although I have asked around and he's known as a trustworthy guy, so that's good). I'm a little reluctant because his asking price is lower than the price of Seiko Tuna... The fun part is that the body has valid papers. You can bring it back to life and run it straight away. No nasty conversation with the (Dutch) DVLA.
I don't know if I'll restore it myself or that I will sell it 'as is'. These older Saabs tend to rust like Alfas. Most are scrapped because the welding is too expensive for most owners. But with a perfect structure + papers, things change. Or this is a perfect start for an electric conversion - as we see more and more.
Last edited by thieuster; 7th December 2023 at 15:24.
Go for it Menno 👍
Oooh!
Cheers,
Neil.
Very interesting!
When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........
Bought it. 600 euros all-in. For a stripped, blasted, welded, sealed body, MY76. Complete with 200 pics of the work that has been done and, most importantly, valid papers! I don't have to apply for a new papers & plates!
As said, the seller has a lack of space for his 93A. I can see why. Because all he has are two single car garages. One houses another 96 and the other is the berth of the 93.
Something dropped on the roof, so he found another roof that can be welded in, but I think that a good sheet metal worker can make this like new again without welding.
Brilliant 👍
I made a temp trolley for it. The owner wants to keep his own trolley for his next project. I cannot transfer the body to my bigger ‘rig’ when I am at the seller’s place.
We put it with this trolley on the trailer, drive to the workshop and with the help of a two-post ramp, we’ll transfer it to this
Last edited by thieuster; 17th September 2023 at 17:07.
I found two wings yesterday; '90% and 70%' analoge to the rating we put on watches. But lost view of my dog today. He walked into my workshop with me, but normally finds a spot on a dog bed there. Not now, he was under the table where I'd been cleaning the first wing...
I have decided to go for a 'retirement approach': one hour per day, 6 days/week. Like I do when working in my forest.
Fabulous, what a car that will be one day..........
An electric conversion of a classic like that would be far more fun that some of the attempts at "futuristic" styling car makers feel the need to go for in new EV's
I have been thinking along that line! Downside is that I'm less than a noob when it comes to this sort of power units... I know a guy with an E-type that's fully electric and I know a guy with a Saab Sonett that's electric. The latter being an achievement when you consider the less-than-average car size of the Sonett.
Let's say I've not rejected that idea!
I went to see a donor car today. 'The price is negotiable!' Well, it was a doghouse of a car. The only interesting stuff was the original rally steering wheel inside. The seller wants 2,500 euros for the car and after careful thinking(...) 2,000. I offered him 500, which he rejected. When I called my price I was immediately thinking that I was offering him far too much. Luckily we didn't agree...
Best way Menno, don't overdo it.Originally Posted by thieuster
I found two wings yesterday; '90% and 70%' analoge to the rating we put on watches. But lost view of my dog today. He walked into my workshop with me, but normally finds a spot on a dog bed there. Not now, he was under the table where I'd been cleaning the first wing...
I have decided to go for a 'retirement approach': one hour per day, 6 days/week. Like I do when working in my forest.
Dog looks handsome!
Cheers,
Neil.
Always loved their shape. Was about to ask if it was round or square headlight one, but saw that it's a '76, so square?
But I don't think it's going to stay a 'rectangular'.
I'm thinking about this: with a 'fries cutter' grill. ± 1968. The one on the pic is a 2stroke, but it's the colour and the wheels that interest me. No bumpers or in the same colour as the body. My ultimate idea is a 'Outlaw' style Saab 96. (Suggestions are welcome). This colour looks a lot like the colour that was the Triumph TR Works cars in the 50s/60s: 'apple green'.
Last edited by thieuster; 21st September 2023 at 19:58.
That looks so cool! Looking up all the different variants, that is definitely the best looking front. I quite like the rectangular one actually, but you can tell it was a facelift, not a clean sheet design.
Can't seem to find one without bumpers, but I feel like it would need lowered ride height without them as they add a lot of visual weight to a high front.
This could easily turn into a saga! What happened this morning is really incredible.
Someone gave me a name of a guy in a town 50kms to the east. But, with the restriction that he's an eccentric guy and not happy with visitors. I got hold of his phone number (land line) and gave him a ring, telling him that I'm looking for rear wings for my Saab. He called me 'lucky' because he needed to clear space for a new project. So I got an invite. And I went over to see him this morning.
The guys from a village that I vaguely know; I was in class with a few girls and boys from that town. Fun stuff all the way. The moment I spotted him, I knew that he and one of the people from my class in the 70s were related. I turned out to be his twin brother! I did know that his twin brother/my class mate passed away 20 yrs ago. And today was... their birthday. "But I'm not in the mood for that since my brother died!"
The fact that I knew his brother changed him completely! He opened up instantly. Showed me pics of his late brother as a DJ (that had become his profession) and I mentioned that I have pictures of field trips with his brother on it. That's the moment that he got tears in his eyes and I must say that I had a mist for my eyes as well.
We went to a barn and I hand-picked two rear wings. In fine condition I may add! Then he took me to another barn where he showed me the car he's working on - and that's why he needed to clear out his storage. I walked to my car with the rear wings and then he said: "Wait, I have a better idea. In the back, there's my brother's old Saab. He started working on it before he got cancer. The welding is done, it's metal-sprayed (I don't know the English term) and it sat her for more than 20 yrs untouched. I'll clear out the rubble and when you come back you can inspect it. It's our birthday and it's no coincidence that you're here today. You can have the car. Give me 1000 euros for it so that I can start the restoration of the 93A!" The car comes with all papers and... lo and behold: it's #33 before Saab stopped building them!
He left me confused. I said I needed a few hours... I drove home and I've decided to bring this one to my workshop as well. Commemorating my school buddy.
It was a little misty before my eyes when I drove home.
The car he's going to work on; a 93A towed from a mountain in Greece (of all places...)
What a morning Menno.
Serendipity!
Cheers,
Neil.
Wow, that's really amazing. Life can throw all kinds of curveballs.
I called this afternoon and said I would take his offer. But I want to give him time to rethink what he has said. I don't want to benefit from a moment of emotions. So I asked him to clear out the mess around the car and put it on display on his driveway so that I could take a good look at it, in daylight + the parts that come with the car. Which is an obvious question. But I give him time to rethink what he has offered. If the offer still stands after he has done what I asked him, then I'm sure that it's the right thing to buy it from him.
I sounded so happy over the phone when I called him. I said: take your time! And call me when you're ready digging out stuff. I'm not in a hurry!
Lets see how this turns out. He will keep his word is my idea.
Wow, what a story.
So let me get this right. You've a good shell for one project, and now good wings to go with it.
Now it seems you're getting another one that has potentially had a few of the issues corrected, and it is in primer coat?
Sounding a lot like 2 projects to me.
One an EV and one a restoration? Resto-mod?
Your carefully made plans need a rethink Menno.
And you certainly need to keep us posted.
What you wrote is spot-on! Saab Orphanage here...
An electric conversion is something to consider. The one that came across my path yesterday (I cannot say I found it!) needs a thorough exam somewhere next week.
I told my wife the whole story last night and I got emotional again. Somehow, this sort of things mean a lot to me; more than I knew.
My wife had an interesting suggestion. I told her that the body was rewelded and that the boot floor and the suspension turrets (weak point on those Saabs!) were redone as well - and metal-sprayed. She suggested: "Why don't you do a respray on the inside and have a close look at the condition of the paint on the outside! When it's good enough, you can consider a professional polish and leave the patina! "Never resprayed, original paint" always add something to the history. (I don't have to explain that on a watch forum!!). Then: "Get the mechanics right, make it a safe car and drive it. After all it was in a heated garage for nearly 30 yrs! And, your yellow Saab is in concourse condition; a Saab with some 'aging' would fit right in!"
She has a point.
That leaves the body (that I'm picking up tonight) as a nice starting point for something like an electric conversion.
The Saab body is 'in da house' (well, workshop). Some early-morning pictures - note the coffee mug. For the eagle-eyed viewers: there's a separate blue roof part on top of the body. The body has a dent in the roof; nothing serious, but with the extra roof I get material to experiment on. And/or: trying if I can find a folding roof! Rumours say that a Twingo folding roof fits. I have the opportunity to check it.
Last week I mentioned the guy that offered me a complete car. I was not too sure that he wanted to sell it in the end, due to the emotional 'luggage' that came with the car. So we made an appointment for this morning. A 35min drive to the east.
He'd pulled the car from under a pile of Saab-parts and what I saw exceeded my wildest expectations!
A MY1980 Saab 96, taken off the road in 1991 (according to the records of the Dutch DVLA), completely rust-free, apart from one small corner under the driver's seat. Even the doors, made of unobtanium (all the good ones have been taken) are rock, rock solid. All Saab's weak points were tackled or were like new, like the front suspension 'turrets'. The engine bay and the boot floor need a cosmetic respray. Even the folded seams of the boot lid are like new!
The car's paint is dirty and scruffy. But a good wash, clean and polish will certainly bring it back to life. So a respray (and that's easily 4k euros for a Saab like this) is not on the 'to do' list!
By far the best starting point of a rebuild (not a restoration!)
The car comes with a clean title and all papers. So yeah. It's my birthday and Christmas at the same time!
I'm collecting all parts and items next Friday up to the point that only the shell needs to come to my house; all other parts will have found a spot on the shelves I'd put up for my project.
Looks excellent Menno and really enjoy reading your threads on stuff like this. Please keep the updates coming
I’ve just seen a Saab 93 which looked ripe for renovation. It was being towed by an Italian camper van and was parked close to the ferry terminal in Hull. Clearly on a long journey.
Nice! Thanks for posting.
Update: I posted your pics on a forum with member from all over the world, including a lot of British Saab afficionados. These pics caused a stir: "Huh, why didn't we spot that car?"
It a 1959 Saab 93B, btw. The last type to have suicide doors; 1960 is the first year of the 2-stroke 96. All parts from the A-pillar to the back stayed unchanged until production was halted in 1980.
Last edited by thieuster; 1st October 2023 at 18:28.
They really are such cool looking cars.
Has anyone ever made a hot rod out of one?
Fantastic. I too really enjoy your classic car threads.
"A man of little significance"
Oh yes, those Scandinavians are pretty ingenious! Long, dark evenings in a shed during the winter bring out some very tasty cars. Lots of them as an 'Outlaw' style car; and some as total 'animals'. A guy in Norway does this:
I was watching a Saab 93 getting thrashed to within an inch of its 2 stroke engines life at Goodwood a couple of weeks ago. A historic racer (replica) might be the way to go. Swedish cool.
Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
Friedrich Nietzsche
Ditto - annoyed I didn't get a pic - it was certainly a heroic effort given (iirc) they'd had to revert to the road-spec engine as the race engine had died!
Somewhere amidst this lot -
The body was still on the trailer and the combination of castor wheels, ramps and me 'flying solo' getting the body of the trailer is not a good combination. And oh, the winch is stuck, so that's no use eighter.
I tilted the front of the trailer with a jack so that the angle of the ramp was a lot more 'convenient': not so steep. Then I took an old mainsheet from a open keel boat and gradually lowered the car down the ramp. The absence of the winch turned out in my advantage: the line of the mainsheet was long enough to control the motion of the car while I was standing next to it, with the sheet in one hand, pushing the car carefully on the ramp with my other hand!
I locked the swivel effect of the castor wheels on the front with wood clamps before I got started; I figured that two 'moving' wheels would be enough. And that worked fine. (As always, my favorite employee was right next to me for moral support).
My youngest was proud, saying something like: "Industrial design, dad!" I mumbled "MacGyver"
This morning I picked up the Saab from the welder. After so many years untouched, a few things needed to be addressed. And he did that for me. We had 42 rainy days in a row and I didn't want to pick the car up, hauling it through wet weather. But the welder urged me to pick it up: he's 70 y/o and my Saab is the last one he has worked on(!). Not the finest weather to transport a car, but it is what it is...
When I arrived at his place, it was more than obvious that he was cleaning out his shop. In fact, he handed me a MIG welder with "For free. Nice DIY machine. Enjoy it!" Needless to say that I took this unexpected gift with both hands!! I'll sort it out at a later date.
My wife noticed that I took pics this morning before I went off to the eastern part of the country where the car was. "Ah, a documented road trip!" Me: "Who doesn't love seeing pics of that!" But she was kind enough to check if all the rear lights were working okay. (Yes they did - more on that below...).
45 mins single trip, 40 mins loading and securing. And on my way heading home again. I took the straps off and pushed the car off the ramps. Then I turned it with its back to the workshop door, but I didn't line it up properly; I couldn't get the rear wheels over the threshold, the car rolled back and the LH corner of the body barely touched the light but still... it smashed the trailer's left rear light. Grrrrr. Luckily I was able to find one online within minutes. It's aready on its way. Still, 17 euros down the drain.
Some nice winter homework there Menno.
And a guard dog to keep them safe!
Cheers,
Neil.
I think the dog is questioning why there's another project in the workshop!
"A man of little significance"
The "new" Saab looks in amazing condition all things considered. Hopefully the build-up won't be too trying
Some wipes and use of rags later... there's actually 'shine' under the 30+ yrs of dust!!!
We see those YT videos how people pull a car from a barn, wash it etc and have a shiny car again. The car I brought in yesterday, is potentially a true contender for a video like that. But... mine has no windows installed. *Yeah they're in boxes with styrofoam.
I'm figuring out a way to clean the paint without turning the inside of the car into a bath tub.
After that, I need to get a complete layer of dirt and grime off. It's like that stuff has eaten its way into the paint. I'm not after a full respray. The car's outside has never been painted before. The inner wings and part of the floor is patched up/ welded. That needs a new coat. But I like the 'patina idea' of a 1980 car being presented 'as is' in 2024 (hopefully...).
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